Saturday, December 12

...so that they would search for God and  perhaps grope for him and find him–though indeed he is not far from each one of us.
—Acts 17:27

Those of us who are parents have had the experience of having our child search for us. It may be that we've gone to the kitchen for a moment and they can't see us. Or, they have a nightmare, and long to find us for a big hug of comfort. Or, they want us to watch them perform some new skill they've perfected.  They call out for us, sometimes with alarm, sometimes with insistence, sometimes with deep love.

They search for us until they find us, because they sense that until we are found, the need they have won't be fulfilled. Even though they know we are nearby, they want assurance, they want reinforcement of the truth of our presence. If our child searches for us and can't find us, they wail in fear and disappointment.

God's presence is always as close to us as our next breath, our next step. We may know this deep within and still find ourselves searching, groping, straining just to be sure that God is really there. If God is not there, we wonder about the value of our lives and activities. On the other hand, if we have confirmation of God's presence and interest in us, we long for an even deeper closeness. 

Advent is a time to be aware of our desire to search and call out for God, then wait for God to be revealed to us. It doesn't take much. We just need to become like a little child searching for their mom or dad in the next room.

Gracious God, when I call out for you, give me patience to wait until I hear you coming.